Michiru slowly walked down the staircase into the living room,
wearing a white shirt that ended a tad over her waistline, while the
sleeves hanged over her hands more than a fitted shirt would have done.
Yesterday had passed by without nothing happening except five phone calls
from Hoshi, which only was more than welcome in Michiru's ears. They had
talked about nothing really all the five times. Just listening to Hoshi's
voice had made Michiru almost drift away into an unknown dimension, where
nothing could touch her. The clock ticked towards eight am in the hallway
as Michiru took her first step onto the hallway floor, while rubbing her
blue eyes tiredly, while her hair was almost like an aqua colored halo
around her head.
Michiru's gaze soon ended up in the living room, where the piles of Haruka's older clothes still were lying on the floor. She hadn't minded in cleaning up, since there were loads of things in the boxes that she hadn't looked trough. She scratched her head and soon sighed. "I better look trough those things someday." She whispered to herself and walked into the kitchen where she put on a pot of coffee.
Soon the phone started to yell and Michiru spun around, staring at the clock on the microwave and then at the phone.
Is she up this early? She thought and smiled gently for herself as she picked up the phone by the doorway into the hall. "Kaioh Michiru?" She answered while trying to suffocate a yawn.
"So good, you're home!" A voice replied on the other end, sounding cheerful. Michiru's eyes widened and suddenly her knees felt wobbly. It was a voice that she knew, but hadn't heard for about two years. "I heard the bad news from a contact and I thought I would pass by your house, while I'm still in Tokyo. To see how you are."
Michiru swallowed hard and just stared into the air in front of her. Oh no. She thought while she bit her lip a little. "I'm just fine, really!" She exclaimed after a second of silence. "You really don't have to come over Mina-" The phone call was cut and left Michiru listening to a beeping sound. ". ko-chan?"
Suddenly the doorbell started to yell.
"Don't be her. Oh dear God don't let it be her." She whispered as she put the phone back onto its hook before she ran into the hallway and opened the door. Her eyes widened and her face paled as she peeked out trough the door, seeing a girl who hadn't changed her hair doe since she was a little girl, but she was had a tan that she probably had gotten from her two year stay in America. The blonde was wearing a summer dress all in the same blue color from top to toe. "Minako-chan!" Michiru smiled nervously.
Aino Minako's eyes widened seeing the short cut halo around the aqua haired girls head and soon moved her face a little closer, studying the look over Michiru's face. "Are you well?" She asked in a low voice and suddenly had her hand against Michiru's forehead.
"Eh. Minako-chan." Michiru swallowed. "What a. a nice surprise!" She said after a while of thinking. "But what are you doing in Tokyo.?"
Minako looked at the young woman with a wondering look and soon smiled, while removing her hand from Michiru's forehead. "I'm just here for a while. I'll be going back to America in a week or so. Thought I was going to visit friends here." She answered and opened the door more, before walking past Michiru and into the hallway.
Michiru sighed deeply before she closed the door and leaning against it, while scanning the floor for nothing.
"This place hasn't changed much." Minako said as she took of her sneakers. "But you sure have." She added and turned to face Michiru with a raised eyebrow. "Did Haruka-san hurt you so much that you had to cup off your hair?" She asked now, while a thoughtful face scanned Michiru from top to toe. "And you've lost weight." She remarked and was about to pocked Michiru's stomach.
"Maybe I have." Michiru replied and moved out of the fingers way and into the kitchen. "What does it really matter if Haruka-san and I have broken up?" She asked while leaning against the fridge.
Minako leaned her head against the doorway into the kitchen, looking at Michiru for a short while under silence before sighing. "You two where meant for each other!" She noted but stopped pointing out things as Michiru gave her a sharp look, which said more than a thousand words. "Or did you?" Minako swallowed her protest words.
Michiru sighed and looked at something at the ceiling, which probably wasn't there. "She left me for someone else." She replied after a while of studying the ceiling, which in her eyes needed to be repainted, before she looked at Minako. "But I'm fine." She added and smiled warmly.
"Oh?" Minako blinked with an asking look over her face. "I heard that you left her."
Michiru shook her head and walked over to the cupboards before looking back at Minako. "Want some coffee?"
"Yes please." Minako nodded, now smiling gently towards the young woman who reached out for two cups, which soon where put down onto the counter by the coffee machine. "So. how's life around you anyways?" Minako asked as Michiru scanned the coffee pot.
"Just fine." Michiru replied with a sigh, while a smile plaid on her lips.
"Found anyone new?" Minako asked suddenly while raising an eyebrow, over a curious gaze.
Michiru blinked and slowly turned her face to look at the almost scary look over Minako's face. "Um." Michiru swallowed, and suddenly the phone started to yell.
Minako took a step back as Michiru grabbed the phone, putting it to her ear with wishes that she held inside of herself.
"Kaioh Michiru." Michiru answered while turning her back towards Minako, who curiously peeked over Michiru's shoulder, trying to see Michiru's face.
"What's your favorite scary movie?" A low and almost electric voice said on the other line.
Michiru blinked and soon smiled, knowing the sound from anywhere. It was from a children's toy that made the voice sound abnormal. "Why? You want me to go to the cinema with you, Hoshi-kun?" She replied after a while.
"Hmm. this toy wasn't any fun." Hoshi's voice sighed now and Michiru could hear something fall into a drawer that shortly after was closed. "I didn't think you would be up by now." Hoshi laughed softly. "And what's with Hoshi-kun? Have company and want to play 'answer yes or no'?" Michiru could make out a grin over Hoshi's lips.
"We could." She replied.
"Is it a relative that I should be warned about?" Hoshi asked for her first question.
"Not really. A friend." Michiru replied while leaning her head against the wall. "Why are you up this early by the way?" She asked suddenly remembering what time of the morning it was.
"Um. well." Hoshi snorted. "I had to."
"Aunt Hoshi, when's mommy coming home?" Suddenly a child's voice was heard in the background.
"About soon, Taiko." Hoshi replied the voice and sighed. "Go play in the living room and I'll be there soon."
"I don't want to. The TV is scaring me." The child's voice sniffled.
"Oh man." Hoshi sighed. "Wait a second, will you Michiru?"
"I'll wait." Michiru replied, and soon she could make out the sniffling closer to the phone than before.
"Who is it?" Minako asked over Michiru's shoulder.
"Someone." Michiru replied shortly and took some steps by the coffee machine.
"There we go." Hoshi's voice sighed after a while. "I'm at my sisters place, taking care of her kid for a while. That's my excuse in being up this early in the morning." She answered the some seconds old question. "It's been a while since I saw my little sunshine." She added and Michiru could make out that she was smiling.
"You're you talking to?" The child's voice asked now between sniffling.
"It's a special someone." Hoshi whispered. "Well, what have you been up to this early? And care to take a walk in the park about twelve's o'clock? I'll be taking Taiko with me." She said now.
Michiru smiled and nodded for herself while looking at the clock on the microwave. "I would love to." She replied and looked at Minako who was looking at her with an asking look. "Maybe there'll be a forth member, but I'm not sure about her yet." She added as she leaned against the fridge. "But we'll see when we meet up."
"What do you say if you meet the person I'm talking to today in the park Tai-chan?" Hoshi asked now and her voice sounds more warm and gentle than Michiru ever had heard it.
"Groove." The child's voice answered and Michiru could hear laughter.
Michiru smiled warmly for herself while looking at the floor. "Are you teaching her your words, Hoshi-kun?"
Hoshi laughed warmly on the other end now. "You'll see this cutie and you'll say that she isn't like me, if you dare! But I'll see you in Hibiya at twelve then."
"Sounds like a date." Michiru agreed and looked at Minako who was pouring coffee into the cups.
"Want to say bye-bye to Michiru, Taiko?" Hoshi asked now and soon a small spark was heard on the line.
"You better be a nice lady, or else I'll cry." The small voice said after a while and Michiru couldn't help but smile hearing Hoshi laughing in the background.
"I promise I will be a nice lady, Taiko-chan." Michiru promised warmly.
"Okay. bye-bye." Yet again Michiru heard the spark in the phone.
"Now you've talking with the sunshine of my life." Hoshi laughed. "You'll just fall in love with her, I promise."
"I'm sure I will." Michiru replied with a warm smile over her lips. "I'll see you at the park. And you better be a nice lady too. And the clothing code will be casual today!" She added with a childish tone in her voice.
"I will mommy, I promise." Hoshi replied, sounding more childish and small than the child that Michiru had just talked to. "Taiko's waiving towards the phone, hope you see her." She added with a laugh. "I'll be seeing you. Taiko and I are going to have breakfast by the TV now."
"Pokémon!" Taiko's voice echoed in the background now. "Come on Hoshi!"
"I better go now, before the kid goes wild." Hoshi laughed. "Taiko! Don't pull off my arm!"
"Bye Hoshi-kun." Michiru replied.
"Bye." Hoshi sighed and paused. "Miss you." She added quickly before she hung up.
Michiru just smiled for herself as she put the phone back onto its hook. She sighed and looked at Minako who was holding a cup towards her while leaning against the counter.
"Was that someone I should know about?" Minako asked as she took a sip of the coffee.
"It was someone you could meet today, if you want to." Michiru replied from behind the cup in her hands, while looking at the blackness floating around for a while before she walked into the living room, leaving Minako in the kitchen, staring right into the air with slightly widened eyes.
The clock turned twelve as Michiru and Minako got out of Michiru's car, that had been parked at the Hibiya park's entrance, where Michiru had spotted Hoshi's BMW within two seconds. Michiru was wearing a gentle blue tank top with a thin white shirt over, and a pair of blue shorts, while her feet rested in a pair of sandals.
"So, where's your mysterious person?" Minako asked as she looked around the parking lot.
Suddenly a pair of small hand's patted Michiru on the leg, which Michiru noticed belonged to a little girl who seemed to be five years old. She was wearing a pair of short cut blue jeans and a blue top. Her golden brown hair was in a mess and her large brown eyes sparkled as she was looking up at Michiru. "You're the nice lady, aren't you?" The girl grinned while wrinkling her nose a little.
Michiru smiled warmly over the child and soon nodded. "I'm the nice lady. Are you the nice girl I talked to on the phone?" She asked now while kneeling down to face the girl.
"Yup!" The girl smiled brightly and held out her hand towards Michiru. "Tsuya Taiko! But almost everyone call me just Tai." She added.
Michiru shook hands with the little girl and soon heard a laugh that she could make out anywhere. Michiru got up from the ground and spotted Hoshi walking over towards them, wearing a pair of pants that ended at her knees, showing the lower part of her legs and her feet ended up in a pair of black sandals. She also had a black tank top that showed most of her stomach.
"If found her!" Taiko shouted while spinning around to face Hoshi.
"That's my girl." Hoshi smiled as she picked up the girl into her arms. "Is this the visiting friend?" She asked as she let her gaze end up at Minako.
Michiru looked at Minako who was almost burning up because of her blushing face. "Yes, this is." She started but stopped in her sentence, knowing what would happen the next second.
"Aino Minako!" The blonde girl suddenly said in a high voice as she bowed towards Hoshi and Taiko. "Nice to meet you. And I'm sorry but I can't stay way too long. I have to go see a friend of mine later today."
Hoshi and Taiko blinked at the same time, which only made Michiru laugh.
"Groove chick." Taiko said after a second as she leaned her head against Hoshi's shoulder.
"How cute!" Minako just exclaimed while laughing, charmed at the little girl, while Michiru and Hoshi changed gazed and smiles.
A short while after laughing at Taiko's endless jokes about nothing and everything, the four walked into the park, where several families where having picnics or just having fun in the sun. Hoshi had a blanket with her and a small basket, since Taiko wanted have a picnic later on. Taiko had from the first second liked both Minako and Michiru, but she whispered to Hoshi that she liked Michiru more a second later. Minako and Hoshi spread out the blanket by a tree while Taiko, who wanted to play, had pulled Michiru away. Minako sat down on the pale blue colored blanket with a sigh while looking at the sky. "It has been a while since I was in this park." She thought out loud while smiling warmly.
"How do you know Michiru?" Hoshi asked as she sat down as well.
Minako blinked and after a second of thinking she looked at Hoshi. "I knew her trough a friend of ours." She replied. "You went to the same school?" She asked now, giving Hoshi a wondering look. "Michiru-san told me a little."
Hoshi smiled and nodded while looking at the blanket under her. "Yeah, but that was ages ago." She replied and looked at Minako. "Time goes by fast." She added with a gentle smile.
"Sure does." Minako agreed and smiled back, feeling that Hoshi wasn't a bad girl at all.
"Look what I found!" Taiko shouted as she came running over the grass, and jumping right into Hoshi's lap, holding a blue colored stone in her hand. "Look!" She smiled as she almost pressed the stone into Hoshi's eye.
"Wow! Where did you find this Tai?" Hoshi asked as she got a clear view of the stone. "It's beautiful."
"Michi and me went to the pond." Taiko grinned and soon had the stone in her pocket. "It was just lying there so I picked it up."
Michi? Hoshi smiled and soon looked up, seeing Michiru walking over with a warm shine over her face.
"Right Michi? We found it by the pond and I picked it up." Taiko echoed as Michiru sat down on the blanket. "And you thought it was a quartz?" She added now and soon pulled out the stone from her pocket, looking at it with a studying look.
"I think it is." Michiru said as Taiko got up from Hoshi's lap and bounced over to Michiru, lying her head down into Michiru's lap, holding the stone towards her. "It could be some kind of mixed stone too."
"Groove." Taiko sighed and smiled at her prized stone. "I'll put this into my window shelf when I get home!"
Michiru smiled at the girl while pulling the golden brown hair from her forehead.
Minako and Hoshi smiled at the two, probably thinking the same thing. Minako soon sighed and looked at the sky again. I guess this was a good change for Michiru-san. She looks happy with this woman. She thought and looked at Hoshi who was still smiling at Taiko and Michiru. And she seems like a very nice woman too. Minako blinked and suddenly looked at her watch. "Oh." She whispered and looked at Michiru, who was looking at her. "I should be going." Minako excused and slowly got up from the blanket. "I have to be in Ginza in fifteen minutes. I'm meeting up with Mako-chan." She added and smiled warmly, before she looked at Hoshi and held her hand towards her. "It was nice meeting you, Tsuya-san." She added as they shook hands.
"Always nice to meet new people." Hoshi replied with a gentle smile over her lips.
"Bye-bye Minako!" Taiko said as she sat up on the blanket. "Be a nice lady now." She added with a smile.
Minako smiled at the girl and nodded. "You be a nice girl your self." She replied and shook hands with Michiru. "Nice seeing that you're around nice people, Michiru-san."
"Thank you Minako-chan. And say hello to Makoto-chan from me." Michiru replied and smiled gently at the blonde who soon walked off.
"I wanted to play with her too." Taiko whispered and soon looked at her stone.
"You'll maybe get a chance to play with her some other time, Tai." Hoshi replied as she messed up the girl's hair, getting a smile in response.
Taiko sighed and soon looked up from her stone and right at Hoshi. "Can we eat now?" She asked with an asking smile over her lips. "I want to see if you did the sandwiches like mommy does."
Michiru laughed at the comment while Hoshi just shook her head, smiling at her niece.
The picnic food had been eaten and Taiko had complimented Hoshi on her sandwiches several times, and now the little girl was sleeping on the blanket with her head in Hoshi's lap. Michiru and Hoshi looked at the sky together, sitting beside each other now while drinking iced tea, not saying much since they didn't want to wake up the girl.
"When was your sister coming home?" Michiru asked as she put down the can of iced tea.
"She should be arriving about soon." Hoshi smiled and looked at Michiru. "Hope you wont get a chock when you see her. You could think we're twins."
Michiru smiled and soon looked at Hoshi. "How come you pretty much all the time come with that 'about soon'?" She asked curiously.
Hoshi raised an eyebrow towards her, but kept her smile. "I like the way it sounds." She replied shortly and soon hand her hand on Michiru's. "Besides. about soon can mean many things, depending on how you hear it." She added while gently squeezing Michiru's hand on the blanket. "It can be within a second, or maybe even a year."
Michiru looked into Hoshi's eyes that seemed more green like than brown for the moment. "Sounds a good way to express several things." She agreed. "But when's she coming to pick up Taiko-chan and the basket?"
Hoshi looked at her wristwatch and bit her lip a little. "I give her about five minutes." She answered and picked up her iced tea, taking a sip and looked at something in the park.
Suddenly a woman walked up to the blanket, wearing a white short sleeved white and blue colored shirt and a skirt that ended a little above her knees. She had the same hair color, but longer, and the same shining brown eyes as Hoshi and Taiko, and Hoshi was right, they could have been mistaken for twins. "I finally found you! The buss was late, once again." The woman sighed and ended up gazing at Michiru. "You must be the well talked about Kaioh Michiru." She said wand smiled warmly as she sat down on the blanket and shook hands with Michiru. "Nice meeting you. I'm Hoshi's older sister, Tsukiyo."
"Nice meeting you too." Michiru nodded with a warm smile.
Hoshi grinned for herself. "Our parents just love everything that had to do with the planets and space." She noted and looked at Michiru, who was more than charmed.
"And how." Tsukiyo sighed and rolled her eyes at the comment. "Has my angel been a nice one today?" She asked as she rested her eyes on Taiko who was still sleeping.
"She's been just adorable." Hoshi replied and stroked Taiko's cheek. "She made two new friends today. Michi here and a Groove chick, who had to go earlier." She added with a grin over her lips.
"I've told you not to teach her those kind of words!" Tsukiyo grinned at her sister. "She just might end up growing up to become a copy of you." She added while slapping Hoshi on the knee. "I don't want too loony bins in my family. It took me two years to stop her from saying 'sexy mama' to all my girl friends for crying out load!" She added with a charmed smile.
Hoshi laughed while Michiru smiled at the two.
Soon Taiko sighed in her sleep and slowly opened her eyes. "Mommy?" She whispered and soon rested her tired eyes on her mother, while rubbing her eyes. "You're late!" She noted as she sat up with a yawn.
Tsukiyo raised an eyebrow towards her daughter, but smiled. "Sorry. I had a hard time finding you people here. The park is large you know."
Taiko grinned at her mother and soon stack out her tongue, only getting the same treatment from her mother.
Hoshi picked out the last iced tea from the basket and handed it to her sister, who lied down onto the blanket while leaning her head on her arm. "So." She sighed as she opened the can and looked at the two. "How's you're day been?" She asked with a smile as she took a sip from the can.
"My sisters far more free spirited than I am, so don't ask." Hoshi remarked as she lied her head down into Michiru's lap, sipping her tea.
"I wont make any remarks." Michiru replied with a smile over her lips.
"I found this stone today!" Taiko grinned as she crawled over to her mother and sat down onto her knees beside her, taking out the stone from her pocket and showing it to Tsukiyo. "Michi thinks it could be a quartz."
"Nice stone." Tsukiyo agreed with a smile. "You could put it with the rest of your collections." She added and took a sip from her can as she pulled her daughter onto the blanket, where Taiko lied down in front of her mother, looking at the stone.
"How was work then?" Hoshi asked from Michiru's lap while looking at her sister from behind her can.
"It was horrible!" Tsukiyo moaned with boredom. "My boss is turning out to be the meanest blood sucking person there is in the whole galaxy!" She sighed, while stroking some locks at Taiko's neck.
"Did that ass make you angry mommy?" Taiko asked and looked at her mother.
"Hush!" Tsukiyo hissed at her daughter. "I told you not to use that word!"
"But you call him that all the time, mommy." Taiko remarked with an asking look over her face.
Hoshi and Michiru just laughed at the two, while Michiru's hand had found it's way onto Hoshi's head and was gently touching her hair.
The four sat in the park until the sun had started setting, after some visits to the closest 7-Eleven. They were standing in the entrance of the park, chatting about things while Tsukiyo was holding a tired Taiko in her arms, who was rubbing her eyes while yawning.
"It was nice meeting you, Michiru-san. Really, it was the best thing that has happened me the whole day." Tsukiyo said as she tried to give Michiru a hug, still holding Taiko.
"It was nice meeting you too, Tsukiyo-san." Michiru smiled and soon looked at Taiko. "And it sure was nice meeting you, Tai-chan." She added and shook hands with the girl.
"You'll come over and play with me, wont you Michi?" Taiko smiled a tired smile. "Hoshi will come and get you someday."
"I promise." Michiru nodded and looked at Hoshi, while Tsukiyo walked over to Hoshi's car, putting Taiko into the back seat with the empty basket. "Well, another end of a day." Michiru sighed and crossed her arms over her chest.
"And a heck of a day it has been." Hoshi remarked with a smile over her lips. "Hope you had a nice time." She added and soon took Michiru's hands into her own, while looking her right in the eyes.
Michiru nodded in agreement, looking back into Hoshi's eyes while gently holding her hands in her own.
"So, until we meet again." Hoshi said after a while as she took a step closer towards Michiru. They stood close to each other for a while before they both sighed, before putting their arms around each other, Michiru leaning her head against Hoshi's shoulder and sighing once more. "Sweet dreams, Michiru." Hoshi whispered as she gently stroked the hair on Michiru's neck.
"You too. and I'll call you." Michiru whispered and closed her eyes gently.
"If I don't call you first." Hoshi challenged with a smile over her lips.
"Oh you guys! I think that looks amazingly cute, but in public like that, please? Rent a room at the grand hotel or something!" Tsukiyo laughed from the car.
Hoshi and Michiru smiled at the remark and soon looked at each other. "Bye for now." Michiru whispered and was about to let go of Hoshi, when her lips where met by Hoshi's while Michiru felt Hoshi's arms tightening around her.
"I hate to say good bye." Hoshi whispered as her lips slowly left Michiru's and her eyes sparked while she looked at her.
"I do too." Michiru agreed while biting her lower lip a little, feeling Hoshi's arms slowly loosening her arms around her. "I'll hear from you." She whispered after a while of gazing into Hoshi's eyes.
Hoshi nodded and slowly let go of Michiru, giving her yet another kiss on the corner of her mouth. "Sleep well." She said as her arms where resting at her sides once more.
"Damn! I knew I should have had my camera with me!" Tsukiyo laughed from the car now. "Sleep tight, Michiru-san!" She shouted and waved her hand towards them and Hoshi slowly walked away from Michiru.
"See you." Hoshi whispered with a smile over her lips as she walked off. "Could you please stop being such a pain up my butt?" She shouted as her sister, who just laughed.
"Come on Hoshi! That was too cute for words and it should have been a perfect picture to post up on the net!"
Michiru smiled at them as they got into the car, which soon drove out of the parking spot and down the street. Michiru sighed for herself, still feeling the tight hold of Hoshi around her. She slowly walked to her car while looking at the ground she walked on. She soon sighed and picked out her car keys from her pocket and opened the doors, getting in and closing the door after herself. She started the car with yet another sigh, before she noticed her cell phone that had been lying in the empty space between the radio and gearbox. She picked it up and studied the display for a second. The small message icon was blinking in the left corner. She smiled gently and unlocked the cell phone and opened the message.
'I had a nice time even if it had been far more nicer if we had been alone, just the two of us. Hope you enjoyed the free entertainment! I know I did. Miss you already, "Michi". / Hoshi.'
Michiru smiled warmly and put the phone back into its place before she drove out of the parking space and started her drive home, still feeling the warmth of Hoshi's body against her own.
Michiru's gaze soon ended up in the living room, where the piles of Haruka's older clothes still were lying on the floor. She hadn't minded in cleaning up, since there were loads of things in the boxes that she hadn't looked trough. She scratched her head and soon sighed. "I better look trough those things someday." She whispered to herself and walked into the kitchen where she put on a pot of coffee.
Soon the phone started to yell and Michiru spun around, staring at the clock on the microwave and then at the phone.
Is she up this early? She thought and smiled gently for herself as she picked up the phone by the doorway into the hall. "Kaioh Michiru?" She answered while trying to suffocate a yawn.
"So good, you're home!" A voice replied on the other end, sounding cheerful. Michiru's eyes widened and suddenly her knees felt wobbly. It was a voice that she knew, but hadn't heard for about two years. "I heard the bad news from a contact and I thought I would pass by your house, while I'm still in Tokyo. To see how you are."
Michiru swallowed hard and just stared into the air in front of her. Oh no. She thought while she bit her lip a little. "I'm just fine, really!" She exclaimed after a second of silence. "You really don't have to come over Mina-" The phone call was cut and left Michiru listening to a beeping sound. ". ko-chan?"
Suddenly the doorbell started to yell.
"Don't be her. Oh dear God don't let it be her." She whispered as she put the phone back onto its hook before she ran into the hallway and opened the door. Her eyes widened and her face paled as she peeked out trough the door, seeing a girl who hadn't changed her hair doe since she was a little girl, but she was had a tan that she probably had gotten from her two year stay in America. The blonde was wearing a summer dress all in the same blue color from top to toe. "Minako-chan!" Michiru smiled nervously.
Aino Minako's eyes widened seeing the short cut halo around the aqua haired girls head and soon moved her face a little closer, studying the look over Michiru's face. "Are you well?" She asked in a low voice and suddenly had her hand against Michiru's forehead.
"Eh. Minako-chan." Michiru swallowed. "What a. a nice surprise!" She said after a while of thinking. "But what are you doing in Tokyo.?"
Minako looked at the young woman with a wondering look and soon smiled, while removing her hand from Michiru's forehead. "I'm just here for a while. I'll be going back to America in a week or so. Thought I was going to visit friends here." She answered and opened the door more, before walking past Michiru and into the hallway.
Michiru sighed deeply before she closed the door and leaning against it, while scanning the floor for nothing.
"This place hasn't changed much." Minako said as she took of her sneakers. "But you sure have." She added and turned to face Michiru with a raised eyebrow. "Did Haruka-san hurt you so much that you had to cup off your hair?" She asked now, while a thoughtful face scanned Michiru from top to toe. "And you've lost weight." She remarked and was about to pocked Michiru's stomach.
"Maybe I have." Michiru replied and moved out of the fingers way and into the kitchen. "What does it really matter if Haruka-san and I have broken up?" She asked while leaning against the fridge.
Minako leaned her head against the doorway into the kitchen, looking at Michiru for a short while under silence before sighing. "You two where meant for each other!" She noted but stopped pointing out things as Michiru gave her a sharp look, which said more than a thousand words. "Or did you?" Minako swallowed her protest words.
Michiru sighed and looked at something at the ceiling, which probably wasn't there. "She left me for someone else." She replied after a while of studying the ceiling, which in her eyes needed to be repainted, before she looked at Minako. "But I'm fine." She added and smiled warmly.
"Oh?" Minako blinked with an asking look over her face. "I heard that you left her."
Michiru shook her head and walked over to the cupboards before looking back at Minako. "Want some coffee?"
"Yes please." Minako nodded, now smiling gently towards the young woman who reached out for two cups, which soon where put down onto the counter by the coffee machine. "So. how's life around you anyways?" Minako asked as Michiru scanned the coffee pot.
"Just fine." Michiru replied with a sigh, while a smile plaid on her lips.
"Found anyone new?" Minako asked suddenly while raising an eyebrow, over a curious gaze.
Michiru blinked and slowly turned her face to look at the almost scary look over Minako's face. "Um." Michiru swallowed, and suddenly the phone started to yell.
Minako took a step back as Michiru grabbed the phone, putting it to her ear with wishes that she held inside of herself.
"Kaioh Michiru." Michiru answered while turning her back towards Minako, who curiously peeked over Michiru's shoulder, trying to see Michiru's face.
"What's your favorite scary movie?" A low and almost electric voice said on the other line.
Michiru blinked and soon smiled, knowing the sound from anywhere. It was from a children's toy that made the voice sound abnormal. "Why? You want me to go to the cinema with you, Hoshi-kun?" She replied after a while.
"Hmm. this toy wasn't any fun." Hoshi's voice sighed now and Michiru could hear something fall into a drawer that shortly after was closed. "I didn't think you would be up by now." Hoshi laughed softly. "And what's with Hoshi-kun? Have company and want to play 'answer yes or no'?" Michiru could make out a grin over Hoshi's lips.
"We could." She replied.
"Is it a relative that I should be warned about?" Hoshi asked for her first question.
"Not really. A friend." Michiru replied while leaning her head against the wall. "Why are you up this early by the way?" She asked suddenly remembering what time of the morning it was.
"Um. well." Hoshi snorted. "I had to."
"Aunt Hoshi, when's mommy coming home?" Suddenly a child's voice was heard in the background.
"About soon, Taiko." Hoshi replied the voice and sighed. "Go play in the living room and I'll be there soon."
"I don't want to. The TV is scaring me." The child's voice sniffled.
"Oh man." Hoshi sighed. "Wait a second, will you Michiru?"
"I'll wait." Michiru replied, and soon she could make out the sniffling closer to the phone than before.
"Who is it?" Minako asked over Michiru's shoulder.
"Someone." Michiru replied shortly and took some steps by the coffee machine.
"There we go." Hoshi's voice sighed after a while. "I'm at my sisters place, taking care of her kid for a while. That's my excuse in being up this early in the morning." She answered the some seconds old question. "It's been a while since I saw my little sunshine." She added and Michiru could make out that she was smiling.
"You're you talking to?" The child's voice asked now between sniffling.
"It's a special someone." Hoshi whispered. "Well, what have you been up to this early? And care to take a walk in the park about twelve's o'clock? I'll be taking Taiko with me." She said now.
Michiru smiled and nodded for herself while looking at the clock on the microwave. "I would love to." She replied and looked at Minako who was looking at her with an asking look. "Maybe there'll be a forth member, but I'm not sure about her yet." She added as she leaned against the fridge. "But we'll see when we meet up."
"What do you say if you meet the person I'm talking to today in the park Tai-chan?" Hoshi asked now and her voice sounds more warm and gentle than Michiru ever had heard it.
"Groove." The child's voice answered and Michiru could hear laughter.
Michiru smiled warmly for herself while looking at the floor. "Are you teaching her your words, Hoshi-kun?"
Hoshi laughed warmly on the other end now. "You'll see this cutie and you'll say that she isn't like me, if you dare! But I'll see you in Hibiya at twelve then."
"Sounds like a date." Michiru agreed and looked at Minako who was pouring coffee into the cups.
"Want to say bye-bye to Michiru, Taiko?" Hoshi asked now and soon a small spark was heard on the line.
"You better be a nice lady, or else I'll cry." The small voice said after a while and Michiru couldn't help but smile hearing Hoshi laughing in the background.
"I promise I will be a nice lady, Taiko-chan." Michiru promised warmly.
"Okay. bye-bye." Yet again Michiru heard the spark in the phone.
"Now you've talking with the sunshine of my life." Hoshi laughed. "You'll just fall in love with her, I promise."
"I'm sure I will." Michiru replied with a warm smile over her lips. "I'll see you at the park. And you better be a nice lady too. And the clothing code will be casual today!" She added with a childish tone in her voice.
"I will mommy, I promise." Hoshi replied, sounding more childish and small than the child that Michiru had just talked to. "Taiko's waiving towards the phone, hope you see her." She added with a laugh. "I'll be seeing you. Taiko and I are going to have breakfast by the TV now."
"Pokémon!" Taiko's voice echoed in the background now. "Come on Hoshi!"
"I better go now, before the kid goes wild." Hoshi laughed. "Taiko! Don't pull off my arm!"
"Bye Hoshi-kun." Michiru replied.
"Bye." Hoshi sighed and paused. "Miss you." She added quickly before she hung up.
Michiru just smiled for herself as she put the phone back onto its hook. She sighed and looked at Minako who was holding a cup towards her while leaning against the counter.
"Was that someone I should know about?" Minako asked as she took a sip of the coffee.
"It was someone you could meet today, if you want to." Michiru replied from behind the cup in her hands, while looking at the blackness floating around for a while before she walked into the living room, leaving Minako in the kitchen, staring right into the air with slightly widened eyes.
The clock turned twelve as Michiru and Minako got out of Michiru's car, that had been parked at the Hibiya park's entrance, where Michiru had spotted Hoshi's BMW within two seconds. Michiru was wearing a gentle blue tank top with a thin white shirt over, and a pair of blue shorts, while her feet rested in a pair of sandals.
"So, where's your mysterious person?" Minako asked as she looked around the parking lot.
Suddenly a pair of small hand's patted Michiru on the leg, which Michiru noticed belonged to a little girl who seemed to be five years old. She was wearing a pair of short cut blue jeans and a blue top. Her golden brown hair was in a mess and her large brown eyes sparkled as she was looking up at Michiru. "You're the nice lady, aren't you?" The girl grinned while wrinkling her nose a little.
Michiru smiled warmly over the child and soon nodded. "I'm the nice lady. Are you the nice girl I talked to on the phone?" She asked now while kneeling down to face the girl.
"Yup!" The girl smiled brightly and held out her hand towards Michiru. "Tsuya Taiko! But almost everyone call me just Tai." She added.
Michiru shook hands with the little girl and soon heard a laugh that she could make out anywhere. Michiru got up from the ground and spotted Hoshi walking over towards them, wearing a pair of pants that ended at her knees, showing the lower part of her legs and her feet ended up in a pair of black sandals. She also had a black tank top that showed most of her stomach.
"If found her!" Taiko shouted while spinning around to face Hoshi.
"That's my girl." Hoshi smiled as she picked up the girl into her arms. "Is this the visiting friend?" She asked as she let her gaze end up at Minako.
Michiru looked at Minako who was almost burning up because of her blushing face. "Yes, this is." She started but stopped in her sentence, knowing what would happen the next second.
"Aino Minako!" The blonde girl suddenly said in a high voice as she bowed towards Hoshi and Taiko. "Nice to meet you. And I'm sorry but I can't stay way too long. I have to go see a friend of mine later today."
Hoshi and Taiko blinked at the same time, which only made Michiru laugh.
"Groove chick." Taiko said after a second as she leaned her head against Hoshi's shoulder.
"How cute!" Minako just exclaimed while laughing, charmed at the little girl, while Michiru and Hoshi changed gazed and smiles.
A short while after laughing at Taiko's endless jokes about nothing and everything, the four walked into the park, where several families where having picnics or just having fun in the sun. Hoshi had a blanket with her and a small basket, since Taiko wanted have a picnic later on. Taiko had from the first second liked both Minako and Michiru, but she whispered to Hoshi that she liked Michiru more a second later. Minako and Hoshi spread out the blanket by a tree while Taiko, who wanted to play, had pulled Michiru away. Minako sat down on the pale blue colored blanket with a sigh while looking at the sky. "It has been a while since I was in this park." She thought out loud while smiling warmly.
"How do you know Michiru?" Hoshi asked as she sat down as well.
Minako blinked and after a second of thinking she looked at Hoshi. "I knew her trough a friend of ours." She replied. "You went to the same school?" She asked now, giving Hoshi a wondering look. "Michiru-san told me a little."
Hoshi smiled and nodded while looking at the blanket under her. "Yeah, but that was ages ago." She replied and looked at Minako. "Time goes by fast." She added with a gentle smile.
"Sure does." Minako agreed and smiled back, feeling that Hoshi wasn't a bad girl at all.
"Look what I found!" Taiko shouted as she came running over the grass, and jumping right into Hoshi's lap, holding a blue colored stone in her hand. "Look!" She smiled as she almost pressed the stone into Hoshi's eye.
"Wow! Where did you find this Tai?" Hoshi asked as she got a clear view of the stone. "It's beautiful."
"Michi and me went to the pond." Taiko grinned and soon had the stone in her pocket. "It was just lying there so I picked it up."
Michi? Hoshi smiled and soon looked up, seeing Michiru walking over with a warm shine over her face.
"Right Michi? We found it by the pond and I picked it up." Taiko echoed as Michiru sat down on the blanket. "And you thought it was a quartz?" She added now and soon pulled out the stone from her pocket, looking at it with a studying look.
"I think it is." Michiru said as Taiko got up from Hoshi's lap and bounced over to Michiru, lying her head down into Michiru's lap, holding the stone towards her. "It could be some kind of mixed stone too."
"Groove." Taiko sighed and smiled at her prized stone. "I'll put this into my window shelf when I get home!"
Michiru smiled at the girl while pulling the golden brown hair from her forehead.
Minako and Hoshi smiled at the two, probably thinking the same thing. Minako soon sighed and looked at the sky again. I guess this was a good change for Michiru-san. She looks happy with this woman. She thought and looked at Hoshi who was still smiling at Taiko and Michiru. And she seems like a very nice woman too. Minako blinked and suddenly looked at her watch. "Oh." She whispered and looked at Michiru, who was looking at her. "I should be going." Minako excused and slowly got up from the blanket. "I have to be in Ginza in fifteen minutes. I'm meeting up with Mako-chan." She added and smiled warmly, before she looked at Hoshi and held her hand towards her. "It was nice meeting you, Tsuya-san." She added as they shook hands.
"Always nice to meet new people." Hoshi replied with a gentle smile over her lips.
"Bye-bye Minako!" Taiko said as she sat up on the blanket. "Be a nice lady now." She added with a smile.
Minako smiled at the girl and nodded. "You be a nice girl your self." She replied and shook hands with Michiru. "Nice seeing that you're around nice people, Michiru-san."
"Thank you Minako-chan. And say hello to Makoto-chan from me." Michiru replied and smiled gently at the blonde who soon walked off.
"I wanted to play with her too." Taiko whispered and soon looked at her stone.
"You'll maybe get a chance to play with her some other time, Tai." Hoshi replied as she messed up the girl's hair, getting a smile in response.
Taiko sighed and soon looked up from her stone and right at Hoshi. "Can we eat now?" She asked with an asking smile over her lips. "I want to see if you did the sandwiches like mommy does."
Michiru laughed at the comment while Hoshi just shook her head, smiling at her niece.
The picnic food had been eaten and Taiko had complimented Hoshi on her sandwiches several times, and now the little girl was sleeping on the blanket with her head in Hoshi's lap. Michiru and Hoshi looked at the sky together, sitting beside each other now while drinking iced tea, not saying much since they didn't want to wake up the girl.
"When was your sister coming home?" Michiru asked as she put down the can of iced tea.
"She should be arriving about soon." Hoshi smiled and looked at Michiru. "Hope you wont get a chock when you see her. You could think we're twins."
Michiru smiled and soon looked at Hoshi. "How come you pretty much all the time come with that 'about soon'?" She asked curiously.
Hoshi raised an eyebrow towards her, but kept her smile. "I like the way it sounds." She replied shortly and soon hand her hand on Michiru's. "Besides. about soon can mean many things, depending on how you hear it." She added while gently squeezing Michiru's hand on the blanket. "It can be within a second, or maybe even a year."
Michiru looked into Hoshi's eyes that seemed more green like than brown for the moment. "Sounds a good way to express several things." She agreed. "But when's she coming to pick up Taiko-chan and the basket?"
Hoshi looked at her wristwatch and bit her lip a little. "I give her about five minutes." She answered and picked up her iced tea, taking a sip and looked at something in the park.
Suddenly a woman walked up to the blanket, wearing a white short sleeved white and blue colored shirt and a skirt that ended a little above her knees. She had the same hair color, but longer, and the same shining brown eyes as Hoshi and Taiko, and Hoshi was right, they could have been mistaken for twins. "I finally found you! The buss was late, once again." The woman sighed and ended up gazing at Michiru. "You must be the well talked about Kaioh Michiru." She said wand smiled warmly as she sat down on the blanket and shook hands with Michiru. "Nice meeting you. I'm Hoshi's older sister, Tsukiyo."
"Nice meeting you too." Michiru nodded with a warm smile.
Hoshi grinned for herself. "Our parents just love everything that had to do with the planets and space." She noted and looked at Michiru, who was more than charmed.
"And how." Tsukiyo sighed and rolled her eyes at the comment. "Has my angel been a nice one today?" She asked as she rested her eyes on Taiko who was still sleeping.
"She's been just adorable." Hoshi replied and stroked Taiko's cheek. "She made two new friends today. Michi here and a Groove chick, who had to go earlier." She added with a grin over her lips.
"I've told you not to teach her those kind of words!" Tsukiyo grinned at her sister. "She just might end up growing up to become a copy of you." She added while slapping Hoshi on the knee. "I don't want too loony bins in my family. It took me two years to stop her from saying 'sexy mama' to all my girl friends for crying out load!" She added with a charmed smile.
Hoshi laughed while Michiru smiled at the two.
Soon Taiko sighed in her sleep and slowly opened her eyes. "Mommy?" She whispered and soon rested her tired eyes on her mother, while rubbing her eyes. "You're late!" She noted as she sat up with a yawn.
Tsukiyo raised an eyebrow towards her daughter, but smiled. "Sorry. I had a hard time finding you people here. The park is large you know."
Taiko grinned at her mother and soon stack out her tongue, only getting the same treatment from her mother.
Hoshi picked out the last iced tea from the basket and handed it to her sister, who lied down onto the blanket while leaning her head on her arm. "So." She sighed as she opened the can and looked at the two. "How's you're day been?" She asked with a smile as she took a sip from the can.
"My sisters far more free spirited than I am, so don't ask." Hoshi remarked as she lied her head down into Michiru's lap, sipping her tea.
"I wont make any remarks." Michiru replied with a smile over her lips.
"I found this stone today!" Taiko grinned as she crawled over to her mother and sat down onto her knees beside her, taking out the stone from her pocket and showing it to Tsukiyo. "Michi thinks it could be a quartz."
"Nice stone." Tsukiyo agreed with a smile. "You could put it with the rest of your collections." She added and took a sip from her can as she pulled her daughter onto the blanket, where Taiko lied down in front of her mother, looking at the stone.
"How was work then?" Hoshi asked from Michiru's lap while looking at her sister from behind her can.
"It was horrible!" Tsukiyo moaned with boredom. "My boss is turning out to be the meanest blood sucking person there is in the whole galaxy!" She sighed, while stroking some locks at Taiko's neck.
"Did that ass make you angry mommy?" Taiko asked and looked at her mother.
"Hush!" Tsukiyo hissed at her daughter. "I told you not to use that word!"
"But you call him that all the time, mommy." Taiko remarked with an asking look over her face.
Hoshi and Michiru just laughed at the two, while Michiru's hand had found it's way onto Hoshi's head and was gently touching her hair.
The four sat in the park until the sun had started setting, after some visits to the closest 7-Eleven. They were standing in the entrance of the park, chatting about things while Tsukiyo was holding a tired Taiko in her arms, who was rubbing her eyes while yawning.
"It was nice meeting you, Michiru-san. Really, it was the best thing that has happened me the whole day." Tsukiyo said as she tried to give Michiru a hug, still holding Taiko.
"It was nice meeting you too, Tsukiyo-san." Michiru smiled and soon looked at Taiko. "And it sure was nice meeting you, Tai-chan." She added and shook hands with the girl.
"You'll come over and play with me, wont you Michi?" Taiko smiled a tired smile. "Hoshi will come and get you someday."
"I promise." Michiru nodded and looked at Hoshi, while Tsukiyo walked over to Hoshi's car, putting Taiko into the back seat with the empty basket. "Well, another end of a day." Michiru sighed and crossed her arms over her chest.
"And a heck of a day it has been." Hoshi remarked with a smile over her lips. "Hope you had a nice time." She added and soon took Michiru's hands into her own, while looking her right in the eyes.
Michiru nodded in agreement, looking back into Hoshi's eyes while gently holding her hands in her own.
"So, until we meet again." Hoshi said after a while as she took a step closer towards Michiru. They stood close to each other for a while before they both sighed, before putting their arms around each other, Michiru leaning her head against Hoshi's shoulder and sighing once more. "Sweet dreams, Michiru." Hoshi whispered as she gently stroked the hair on Michiru's neck.
"You too. and I'll call you." Michiru whispered and closed her eyes gently.
"If I don't call you first." Hoshi challenged with a smile over her lips.
"Oh you guys! I think that looks amazingly cute, but in public like that, please? Rent a room at the grand hotel or something!" Tsukiyo laughed from the car.
Hoshi and Michiru smiled at the remark and soon looked at each other. "Bye for now." Michiru whispered and was about to let go of Hoshi, when her lips where met by Hoshi's while Michiru felt Hoshi's arms tightening around her.
"I hate to say good bye." Hoshi whispered as her lips slowly left Michiru's and her eyes sparked while she looked at her.
"I do too." Michiru agreed while biting her lower lip a little, feeling Hoshi's arms slowly loosening her arms around her. "I'll hear from you." She whispered after a while of gazing into Hoshi's eyes.
Hoshi nodded and slowly let go of Michiru, giving her yet another kiss on the corner of her mouth. "Sleep well." She said as her arms where resting at her sides once more.
"Damn! I knew I should have had my camera with me!" Tsukiyo laughed from the car now. "Sleep tight, Michiru-san!" She shouted and waved her hand towards them and Hoshi slowly walked away from Michiru.
"See you." Hoshi whispered with a smile over her lips as she walked off. "Could you please stop being such a pain up my butt?" She shouted as her sister, who just laughed.
"Come on Hoshi! That was too cute for words and it should have been a perfect picture to post up on the net!"
Michiru smiled at them as they got into the car, which soon drove out of the parking spot and down the street. Michiru sighed for herself, still feeling the tight hold of Hoshi around her. She slowly walked to her car while looking at the ground she walked on. She soon sighed and picked out her car keys from her pocket and opened the doors, getting in and closing the door after herself. She started the car with yet another sigh, before she noticed her cell phone that had been lying in the empty space between the radio and gearbox. She picked it up and studied the display for a second. The small message icon was blinking in the left corner. She smiled gently and unlocked the cell phone and opened the message.
'I had a nice time even if it had been far more nicer if we had been alone, just the two of us. Hope you enjoyed the free entertainment! I know I did. Miss you already, "Michi". / Hoshi.'
Michiru smiled warmly and put the phone back into its place before she drove out of the parking space and started her drive home, still feeling the warmth of Hoshi's body against her own.